Under the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Programme, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) is implementing a Scheme “ Building Awareness on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises”. In this scheme, setting up of Intellectual Property facilitation center (IPFC) is one of the main activity, besides other defined activities.   Under the scope & coverage of the scheme IP facilitation Centers for MSMEs are setup in different regions of the country.

The aim  of setting up of IP centers are to assist the MSMEs and other prospective entrepreneurs to have an access to best practices for identification, protection and management of IPR as a business tool. The objective of setting up of IPFC is to guide MSME and other target beneficiaries regarding utilisation of IP tools and technologies for better management of their intellectual property related needs. 

As on date, Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises has sanctioned 24 IP facilitation centres for MSMEs, out of which, 16 are operational.

The Government has put in place, the following inbuilt monitoring mechanism:

·         The implementing agency for IPFC  constitutes a Steering Committee to supervise its activities and to submit the quarterly progress report to the Central Govt. to monitor the   functioning of IPFC. The said Steering Committee has representatives from Industry, State Government, MSME-Development Institute of the concerned region and other experts in the field of IPR.

·         A representative from the Ministry of MSME / Member(s) of Project Implementation Committee (PIC), constituted for implementation of IPR scheme, may visit IPFC to get information on the progress being made and verify the services being provided by the  IPFC. 

·         Separate accounts in respect of funds released by Government of India for setting up of IPFC are maintained by implementing agency and the same is subjected to test check by the PIC through its representatives. 

This information was given by the Union Cabinet Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Shri Virbhadra Singh in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

*****

RTS/HSN